Friday

Drama as Federal Government Fails to Produce Dasuki in Court Again

The Federal Government has again failed to produce the former
National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, before an Abuja High-Court for
trial according to Premium Times.

Mr. Dasuki is accused of money laundering and corruption. He was
alleged to have diverted gargantuan arms deal funds budgeted to
strengthen the arsenal of the Nigerian troops against the Boko Haram
sect.

It would be recalled that the Boko Haram sect gathered threatening
momentum under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan
as the soldiers complained bitterly about lack of viable weapons to
combat the terrorist group.

He was charged along with five others before Justice Peter Affen, and
was granted bail. He was re-arrested and kept in custody of the State
Security since December 2015.

Others being prosecuted along with the former NSA include a former
Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, a former
finance minister of state, Bashir Yuguda; a former Sokoto governor,
Attahiru Bafarawa, the ex-governor’s son, Sagir Attahiru, and a firm,
Dalhatu Investment.

At the resumed trial Thursday, counsel to the Federal Government,
Rotimi Jacob, told the judge that he was surprised that Mr. Dasuki was
not brought to court by his client.

Mr. Jacob said on his part he notified the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the trial and the need to produce Mr.
Dasuki in court, but said that communication gap between the EFCC and
SSS was responsible for non-production of the former NSA in court.

Mr. Jacob applied to Justice Affen to stand down the case for him to enable his client to produce Mr. Dasuki in court.
He could not give a definite period within which the EFCC would bring the ex-NSA to court.

The action of the prosecution provoked reactions from Olajide Ayodele
(SAN) counsel to former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Yuguda, who
opposed the request.

The senior counsel said the failure of the prosecution to give a
definite time within which Mr. Dasuki would be brought to court by
either EFCC or SSS was an indication that he had no knowledge of what
was transpiring between the EFCC and DSS on the matter.

Mr. Olajide therefore pleaded with the judge to adjourn the trial.
His position was adopted by Jacob Daudu, who stood for Mr. Dasuki and
regretted that the government which put the ex-NSA on trial was the one
scuttling the trial.